Character comparing apparatus



May 2, 1961 .1. E. LARSEN CHARACTER COMPARING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 22, 1959 l N VEN TOR HHH@ United States Patent O 'i CHARACTER COMPARING APPARATUS John Edwin Larsen, 110x452, Petaluma, Calif.

Filed Jan. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 788,290

2 Claims. (Cl. 340-149) This invention relates to a character matching device whereby one set of characters can be compared with a similarly arranged setsuch asr telephone numbers, iinger print classiiications, motor vehicle license numbers, or other combinations of mixed characters.

The present invention is designed to compare sets of characters which contain up to three letters of the alphabet and three or more numerals, such as Californias style of passenger Vehicle license plates ABC 123. For comparing sets containing more than six characters, it is intended to use two or more of these devices operating synchronously, their grid circuits as well as their alarm circuits being connected in series. Lesser than six characters can be compared without changing the spirit of the invention.

An object of this invention is to provide a portable character matching devise which may be eiiectively used by police officers in retrieving stolen cars.

A further object is to provide a device capable of quickly and accurately comparing any of 17,576,000 combinations of Californian ABC 123 style of passenger vehicle plates, with for instance, Californias more than 1800 current stolen pleasure cars.

A further object is to provide a device which is simple to operate, be dependable and can be easily serviced in the eld.

A further object is to provide the police with an exciting means of apprehending the car thief.

A further object of this invention is to provide an effective and inexpensive device whereby when two or more of these devices are operated synchronously, sets of mixed multiple characters such as finger print classifications and the like can be quickly identilied.

The device is contained in a box withv a hinged cover on which are mounted, the indicator buttons, the control switches and the signal lamp. The motor which moves the tape, the transformer and other electrical equipment are located in the box.

The tape which is similar in size to a player piano roll, and is similarly installed, is master punched and frequently distributed with recovered license plates omitted and new wanted ones added. In the interest of saving time in receiving the alarm, which is extremely vital to the patrol oflicer, apertures representing the complete wanted license number should be punched in a single straight row across the width of the moving tape.

Three complete sets of alphabets and three complete sets of numerals require one hundred and eight (108) evenly spaced spaces on the visual table. There are six transversely movable electrical contacts which normally press against three metal plates of definite length viz: One plate is 52/108, one plate is 36/ 108 Aand one plate is 20/ 108 of the sum total of 108.

ln certain known forms of detecting devices, the total sets of digits that can be set up for comparison are extremely limited, which preclude any chance of success as a detecting device when applied to vehicle license nurnbers, because no provision is made for letters of the alpha- 2,982,945 Patented May 2, 1961 ICC bet, and also because of the vast amount of combinations involved. v

The present invention has no limitations or restrictions.

Fig. 1 shows a top view of the transversely settable alternately oil-set indicator buttons which are set up by the operator at selected characters of the visual table.

Fig. 2 shows a top view of a section of the moving tape with typical rows of apertures. Three metal plates and their definite length ratio to each other. Also shown is a metallic shunt.

Fig. 3 shows the electrical diagram with the control switches, the electrical equipment and their electrical con nection with each other.

Fig 4 shows one of the movable Contact units, the ilexible wire lead and a roller which keeps the moving tape in position.

Fig. 5 shows two notched metal pieces to which cat Whisker contacts are attached, and their position when on adjacent spaces.

Referring to the drawing:

10, l11 and 12 are the electrical contact indicator button units settable at any character of the visual table 13, being insulated from and free to move in their respective sl'ots 14, with electrical connection by means of flexible wire leads 15. Normally contacts 12 press against three separate metal plates 18, which act as an electrical connection between certain pairs of contacts 12 as shown in Pig. 3. A paper tape 16 which is wide enough to accommodate all of the characters of table 13 is drawn between the contacts 12 and the metal plates 18. Puncrted across v the tape 16 in straight rows are apertures 17 representing all of the wanted and stolen passenger vehicle license numbers of a given State.

When all of the contacts 12 as set by the operator coincide with a row of apertures 17 and simultaneously contact the plates 18 as shown in Fig. 3, negative voltage from the battery 19 which is determined by the variable polarity resistance 20 is fed grid 21. Under operating conditions this bias voltage causes the Thyratron gas tube 22 to tire supplying through its plate 23 and transformer secondary 24 continuous electrical power to operate the alarms 30 and 31 until this flow of electrical current is momentarily interrupted by push button 32, which reconditions the Thyratron 22 for another alarm.

The tape 16 may be stopped at or near the apertures 1'7 which causes an alarm by closing switch 34 which activates the relay 33 allowing the normally closed contacts 35 to open thus stopping the source of electricity in the motor 36 circuit. By raising a hinged cover (not shown) the power switch 37 is opened which disconnects the electrical power supply 27. Closing the cover will start the motor and activate the other circuits.

When the tape 16 reaches the last row of apertures 17 at either end a metal strip 38 which is fastened to the tape 16 in the manner shown, iirst shunts the brushes 39 which reverses the motor 36 circuit by applying electrical current to a polarized relay 40 which throws a reversing switch 41, and then shunts the brushes 42 which deactivates relay 43 allowing the normally open contacts 44 to prevent electrical power from reaching the motor 36. The tape 16 is started on its reverse movement by pressing reset button 45 which first removes the short circuit from the relay 43, and then forceably closes the contacts 44 which are then held by the activated relay 43. In order that these shunts 38 may function as described several methods are available. @ne example is to take advantage of the dierence in thickness of a full tape reel and an empty one. The brushes 39 and 42 could be adjusted to make electrical contact with the metal shunts 38 only when the tape reel is full. 46 is a push button for testing the grid 21 and plate 23 signal circuits. 47 is one of six rollers which keep the tape 16 in position.

Having described my invention it should be apparent' that here is a simple inexpensive device of immense capacity, which could contribute to the public welfare by alleviating the growing and costly stolen car problem. The knowledge that the police do have a device that can identify a stolen car, could have a deterring intiuence on the criminal.

I claim:

l. A character comparing apparatus comprising a plurality of designated electrical contact springs, each of which is movable to positions representative of the letters of the alphabet or all of the digits or the like, each of said contact springs being settable within the contines of a slot, such slots having equally divided increments indexed with successive characters such as the letters of the alphabet, digits and the like, said increments determining the location of data represented by apertures recorded in single rows across the width of electrically nonconductive strip wide enough to accommodate all of said increments, said strip separating said contact springs from one or more metal plates which are insulated one from the other, said plates acting as electrical conductors between the first and second, the third and fourth, the fifth and sixth and so on of said contact springs, such springs being permanently connected electrically by tiexible wire between the second and third, the fourth and fth and so on of said contact springs, said strip movable in a transverse direction to said slots so that when recorded data in the form of apertures coincide with data being verified by the respective positions of said contact springs, a path for electrical current is provided through the described group of said contact springs and said metal plates, an electrical circuit and an airmative signal means operable upon completion of said electrical path.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including means of moving the information strip in a forward or backward direction, means of automatically stopping and reversing the direction of said strip, means of automatically stopping said strip at the place of said airmative signal and means of testing said signal.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,497,893 Daubmeyer June 17, 1924 1,694,631 Trojani Dec. 11, 1928 2,034,436 Highstone Mar. 17, 1936 2,124,906 Bryce July 26, 1938 2,760,183 Singleton Aug. 21, 1956 

